The economy of this Persian pen drawing wouldn't be possible without calligraphy

"There's no break in the line; there's no hesitation in the hand of the artist."

"There's no break in the line; there's no hesitation in the hand of the artist."

Curator Sheila Canby on a Persian drawing of a horseman and groom.

Explore this object:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/447803

Throughout 2013, The Met invited curators from across the Museum to each talk about one artwork that changed the way they see the world. Each episode is interpreted by a Museum photographer.

Photography by Eileen Travell

Subscribe for new content from The Met: https://www.youtube.com/user/metmuseum?sub_confirmation=1

#TheMet #ArtExplained #Art


Contributors

Sheila Canby
Patti Cadby Birch Curator in Charge, Department of Islamic Art

Pop art portrait of a woman with bright orange hair, turquoise skin, pink lips, and lavender eyeshadow on a pink background.
How do works in The Met collection trace the shifting associations of blonde glamour in Western art?
Lynda Nead
February 2
A small wooden carved box featuring figures and a tree in relief.
The author of After Sappho offers a queer feminist reading of Eve and the serpent, reimagining sin as likeness, desire, and bodies transcending gender and species.
Selby Wynn Schwartz
January 9
A close-up detail of a painted face rendered in muted green, blue, and gray tones.
Author Leena Krohn reflects on Helene Schjerfbeck’s portrait of Sigrid Nyberg.
Leena Krohn
December 18, 2025
More in:Art ExplainedPortraitureMaterials

A slider containing 1 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.